Reflection

over the course I have learnt some important things not only on how to use unity and 3DS MAX but also on certain Standards relating to game design such as.

• How Game engines prefer certain file types and texture sizes.
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• How to correctly Construct 3D Digital Models for use in game engines.
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• How to apply Textures to 3D Models. 
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• Alpha channels (transparency). 
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• Texturing an environment, using techniques such as procedural and applying the texture directly.
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• How to integrate models into a scene (giving a presence to a model by applying textures to its surrounding and editing the terrain to blend it into the scene).
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• How to create a Level Blueprint and then model that for scaling purposes  
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• How to correctly create models in scale with a level blueprint. 

Some other miscellaneous things I learnt.

• Using Alpha channels to create grass for use in unity. 
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• Constructing Sky box textures for use in unity.  
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• Some advanced functions of 3DS MAX.
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• How to create a walk-through of my level using a capture program.
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• How to use external plugins in unity 

Things I could have done better with my level.

some better terrain texture could be in order or more varied textures 

better lighting and shadows 

maybe some Catwalk models I felt the environment was quite empty.
maybe some light posts. 

so maybe more models in general.

more tree variates, some grass

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Vimeo Embed of my walk-through for your viewing pleasure



6107807610_Mitchell_Hetherington_Level from Mitchell Hetherington on Vimeo.

Constructing the Environment

Using my level blueprint and the unity terrain tool I created a rough outline of the level. then using the unity Terrain toolkit plug in that Justin gave us i applied procedural textures to the cliffs and the ground. i then made a pass with the normal terrain tools adding new textures to the ground and trees to spice the scene up. i also downloaded a script called Cloudtoy that let me add volumetric clouds to the scene, I used it for fog around the cliff face. I then placed some models i made in 3ds max in and used the terrain tools to integrate them to the scene such as different textures around the base of the antenna and the raised platform it sits on

Texturing The Assets

At Fist texturing my models was quite hard I had to experiment between UV Unwrapping and mapping as well as Sub object materials until I finally I found a way I was comfortable with. simply being applying the materials to individual face and using the UV map modifier to position them correctly.

The hardest thing about this was finding the appropriate textures it took a few good hours just trolling through Google images to find non watermarked Textures

anyway here are the results

Assets

Assets. Modelling

for my assets I used simple box modelling techniques and used tools such as Extrude,Inset,Mirror and  Chamfer edge. at first I had some troubles with overlapping polygons but I managed to fix that by welding the duplicate vertexes.

Antenna

 Lab Entrance

 originally this was going to be a drop pod but it kinda just mutated into a shuttle

Environment Asset ideas

just some idea images for the assets of the antenna, Drop pod and Lab Entrance

Blocking Out

Taking the blueprint I had made I put it into 3ds Max and constructed a rough 3D environment using a 180cm tall block to get the scale right and i used simple geometric objects to represent some asses like the antenna, drop pod and lab entrance

Procedural Terrain and Texture

Justin Showed us how to Procedurally generate and texture terrains Using the unity Terrain Tool Kit Plugin.

Alpine Terrain

This is the first Terrain i created, I started with a Random Fractal Terrain changing the setting until i had something that i liked

I Plugged Cliff Grass and Snow Textures into the procedural Texturizer. that paints on the assigned texture to the terrain according to height and angle

To finish it off I applied some Hydraulic Erosion to give the appearance of Snow Melt and Fall.

Desert Terrain

For the desert terrain i stared with a Random Fractal terrain but with rolling planes Preset i then used the normalize and smooth tools to get it something to my liking.

To add some feature to the Terrain the Carved out a Dried up river bed by using the Height Brush and when it came time to texture it i used a different sand so it stood out against the other textures

I also Applied some Wind and Thermal Erosion to add further Texture to the sand.

Tropical Island 

I started The Tropical island by first raising the terrain until i had a rough island shape i then smoothed that out until i had a cliff like area with small beach at the lowest part of the island

i then added the water plane as well as applied some tidal erosion 

Finally i added the Textures procedurally and 'painted' on some palm trees using the Unity Terrain script's Detail Brush.

Notes:

With the terrain Tool kit it is easy to texture large areas according to height and angle